Energy independence a la Lester Brown

Well, here it is, Independence Day. So what better topic than energy independence?

Lester Brown

So this week’s tele-presser by Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute on how to cut greenhouse gases 80 percent by 2020 using existing technology is particularly well-timed. He started out by noting that this week saw the National Intelligence Council, the U.S. intelligence agencies’ center for midterm and long-term strategic thinking, say climate change is a national security threat:

It was interesting to see a U.S. government agency making the point so vigorously on the Hill.

Brown’s pitch is summarized here in just eight pages, a summation of his well-named book “Plan B 3.0″. Here are a few of his ideas:

Ban incandescent light bulbs. It sounds like a small step, but consider that this alone would reduce global electrical consumption by 12 percent. It’s the equivalent of closing more than 700 of the world’s more than 2,400 coal-fired power plants.

Replace the 40 percent of world electricity needs now supplied by coal with wind. Denmark is getting 20 percent from wind; some German states are pulling down more than 30 percent of their electric load this way. This would require producing 1.5 million wind turbines over the next 12 years. But think about it — we make 65 million cars a year right now. In fact, Brown says all this production could happen at U.S. auto plants that are already idle. China has enough wind to double its production. Even oilman T. Boone Pickens is investing in Texas’ growing wind industry and, when asked why, replied, “Because I’m tired of reading oil depletion curves,” according to Brown.

Solar of various forms. Algerians have pointed out that they have enough harnessable solar energy in their desert, which is most of the country, to power the world economy, Brown said. Consider that the amout of sunlight hitting the earth in 70 minutes is enough to power the world economy for a year.

The United States burns more gasoline than the next 20 countries on the list combined. “Sounds like a mathematical error, but unfortunately it’s not,” Brown said. His answer? Plug-in hybrids for all!

Brown concludes:

None of these initiatives depends on new technologies. We know what needs to be done to reduce CO2 emissions 80 percent by 2020. All that is needed now is leadership.